WWE Mark Madness 2013 (Greatest of All Time): Cena, Hogan and the Field of 64

It's Selection Sunday and Mark Madness has returned in its evolved, Hall of Fame form. Wrestling's finest including John Cena, The Rock, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair will be included in a field of 64 all-time greats to be dwindled down to the single greatest wrestler of all time.

This year's bracket will span across a wide range of eras, territories and international promotions. Each timeless slice of pro wrestling utopia is represented in a fight for ultimate prestige.

The criteria used to select and seed each wrestler are as follows:

Star Power: Was the superstar a perennial headliner whose namesake sold out arenas? What was this superstar's crossover value into mainstream entertainment? What was their impact in big shows like WrestleMania?

Championships and Accomplishments: How many championships did they win? How long did they hold on to these championships? Did their championship accolades translate to multiple promotions?

Workrate: How good are/were they in the ring? Were they master ring technicians who could have a great match with the proverbial broom? Is their resume filled with wrestling classics, or did they just get by on intangibles?

Career Impact: What type of effect did their career have on future wrestlers, concepts, standards, etc?

Voting is now open! First-round voting will last until 12 a.m. ET, 9 p.m. PT on Monday, March 18! Register and VOTE!

1. Hulk Hogan

Babe Ruth. Michael Jordan. Tiger Woods. Hulk Hogan. If pro wrestling were to construct a Mount Rushmore, it would be a three-rock debate since Hogan's face would be a lock to appear.

Love him or hate him (and his polarizing presence on the Internet will make for some dangerous waters in this tournament), Hulk Hogan put the WWF on his back for almost a decade during their first golden age of the '80s.

Hogan spent almost 1,500 total days as WWE/WWF champion, and an additional 469 days as WCW champion. He also has back-to-back Royal Rumble wins to boot.

2. Ric Flair

From Mmasamune.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 1 (Second overall)

If Hulk Hogan is the Babe Ruth of professional wrestling, Ric Flair is the Hank Aaron. Few wrestlers, if any, are celebrated by pro wrestling aficionados and casual fans as unanimously as Flair. His strong mic skills, adept in-ring psychology and knack for storytelling made for a long and illustrious career.

This leader of the legendary Four Horsemen is known for being a 16-time (actually, it's 24) world heavyweight champion during a 40-year career. No other wrestler has ever had as much of an impact on the NWA, WCW and WWE as Ric Flair.

3. Steve Austin

From Gerky-art.deviantart.com/#

Seed: No. 1 (Third overall)

The biggest star of the WWE's best era, Stone Cold Steve Austin transcended a generation of fervent pro wrestling fans. Austin's unprecedented rise in the late '90s led to broken merchandise records and broke the back of WCW during the Monday Night Wars.

Austin will always be known as the bionic redneck in black trunks who terrorized his boss. But he is a well-traveled, great hand who blew through WCCW, ECW and WCW before setting the WWE on fire.

4. Shawn Michaels

IGN.com rated Shawn Michaels the greatest wrestler of all time. As did the WWE in a controversial list released in 2010. The GOAT field of 64 wasn't so kind to the man who re-wrote wrestling.

Nobody's in-ring accolades can compare with Shawn Michaels in the WWE, however, his star power doesn't compare with that of a Steve Austin or a Hulk Hogan.

Fair or not, Michaels' run as champion in the mid to late 90's coincided with low ratings and a period where WCW threatened to put the WWE out of business.

Michaels' four WWE world title reigns don't sound impressive, neither does his 6-11 record at WrestleMania. But the Heartbreak Kid stands alone as the single greatest performer in WrestleMania history, earning the nickname Mr. WrestleMania.

5. The Rock

Not only is The Rock one of the most successful superstars to compete in the WWE, he is also the biggest mainstream star ever to compete regularly for the WWE.

After a wildly productive eight-year career, The eight-time WWE champion left for Hollywood, where he has gone on to gross over three billion dollars as an A-list movie star.

The Rock returned to the WWE in 2011 after an eight-year absence and did not miss a step. The Rock and John Cena broke box office records at WrestleMania XXVIII in 2012, as the event became the highest-grossing pay-per-view in pro wrestling history.

6. Lou Thesz

From Vaughan Bass

Seed: No. 2 (Sixth overall)

Lou Thesz is in a class of his own as a great professional wrestler. The former NWA star was known for an innovative in-ring style and is credited with moves such as the powerbomb, German suplex, STF and most famously, the Lou Thesz press.

The National Wrestling Alliance represents a rich wrestling heritage, so it's that much more prestigious that nobody in history held the NWA World Championship for more combined days than Thesz.

10. Bret Hart

From Samraw08.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 3 (10th overall)

Bret Hart is in the discussion as the pound-for-pound greatest technical wrestler ever. The Canadian hero was one of the first exceptions to the rule as a smaller world champion, during the post-Hogan years, as the WWE opted to push talent with more of an in-ring pedigree than brawn.

Trained in the vaunted Hart dungeon, Bret Hart was a student of the game. And while his legacy will always be sullied by the infamous Montreal Screwjob, some may choose to remember the fact that Hart never injured anybody in all his years as an active competitor.

Triple H was a dominant figure during the Attitude Era, quickly ditching his well-to-do garbs and gimmick for a more hard-edged persona closer to his real-life identity.

Triple H's 11 consecutive WrestleMania appearances is second only to the esteemed Bret Hart. He continues his Hall of Fame career behind the desk, where he has already had a positive effect by being instrumental in convincing Bruno Sammartino to finally accept a WWE Hall of Fame induction.

13. Bob Backlund

From Wrestlingmuseum.com

Seed: No. 4 (13th overall)

Bob Backlund may be one of the more underrated pro wrestlers of his time. One of the elite true athletes to ever compete inside the squared circle, Backlund is one of the longest-reigning WWWF/WWF champions of all time, holding the title for over 2,000 days from 1979 to 1983.

Backlund accomplished the rare feat of winning the WWE Championship in two different eras, capturing the title for a third time in 1992 (although this reign is only recognized as his second in WWE history).

14. Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle is a pro wrestling promoter's dream come true. From the look to the conditioning to the athleticism, few wrestlers embodied the depiction of a total package the way Angle did.

Along with being the only Olympic gold medalist in pro wrestling history, Kurt Angle won six world championships with the WWE and five world championships in TNA. In fact, he once held all of TNA's championships simultaneously during one stretch.

15. Gorgeous George

From Wikipedia Commons

Seed: 4 (15th overall)

Many credit Gorgeous George Wagner as being the godfather of professional wrestling. As the innovator of the flamboyant heel, Wagner served as an inspiration for the likes of Ric Flair and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.

17. Chris Jericho

From Themello.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 5 (17th overall)

Chris Jericho's well-rounded repertoire crafted the former WCW cruiserweight into a bona fide legend. Constantly evolving his character, Jericho has gone from a whiny heel to a rock star to a paranoid sociopath similar to Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men.

The decorated star has a unique arsenal of championships—from cruiserweight to television titles to world titles. And while Buddy Rogers may have been the first WWE champion, Chris Jericho was the first-ever undisputed WWE champion.

18. Sting

Arguably the biggest star to never compete for the WWE, although some may argue that he's overrated. Sting's ageless face-paint gimmick has contributed to a career that spans almost 28 years.

Sting's position as a top star was solidified following a monumental rivalry with Ric Flair. He recreated himself as a darker, Crow-like version of himself during the heyday of WCW, and he currently competes in TNA, where he was the company's first inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame.

Always one of the better babyfaces of his era(s), Sting was voted the most popular wrestler by Pro Wrestling Illustrated a record four times. He shares this record with John Cena.

19. Jack Brisco

From RobSchamberger.com

Seed: No. 5 (19th overall)

Jack Brisco (right) was the precursor to talent like Kurt Angle. Brisco parlayed a strong amateur wrestling background into a legendary professional wrestling career where he was widely recognized as one of the greatest champions of the 20th century.

Cut from the same cloth as a Kurt Angle or a Bob Backlund, few competitors were better athletes than Jack Brisco, whose physical style made him a giant in multiple NWA territories.

22. Edge

From Gudulett-e.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 6 (22nd overall)

Edge grew up and thrived under the WWE umbrella. He earned a moniker of being "the ultimate opportunist" by his using of the WWE Money in the Bank briefcase to capture world championships on two different occasions.

In total, and in addition to a legendary tag team run alongside Christian, Edge has held 11 world championships. His seven World Heavyweight Championship wins is a WWE record.

Edge battled countless injuries throughout his career, including a serious neck injury that eventually forced him to retire. Still, Edge carried the SmackDown brand as one of the top heels after being vaulted into the main event following a scandalous relationship with Amy "Lita" Dumas.

23. CM Punk

From Kiason.deviantart.com/#

Seed: No. 6 (23rd overall)

CM Punk evolved his "best in the world" tagline into a lifestyle. Two Money in the Bank wins. A six-time world champion in the WWE, including the longest WWE Championship reign of the modern era. A giant in the independent wrestling circuit.

The scary part is he's not even close to being done yet.

Punk always wore his heart on his sleeve. His permanent rise to the top of the WWE came following a worked-shoot promo where he aired real-life grievances on WWE TV. His subsequent WWE Championship win over John Cena in his hometown of Chicago was the stuff goosebumps are made of.

Punk currently clocks in as a No. 6 seed, but only because his career is still an unfinished work of art. Ten years from now, this work of art will have been a masterpiece.

25. Andre the Giant

From Leilehua74.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 7 (25th overall)

The original giant, Andre the Giant was the WWE's greatest attraction. Unlike The Big Show, who competes on a regular basis for the WWE, Andre was protected by limited dates, making his matches more special and awe-inspiring.

Andre's star power transcended into movies, where he famously played Fezzik in The Princess Bride.

It's not befitting of the former WWE champion's legacy that one of his most important contributions to the WWE was getting slammed by Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III.

But in doing so, he carved out the very history that made Hulk Hogan immortal.

27. Dusty Rhodes

From Turnbuckles.tumblr.com

Seed: No. 7 (27th overall)

Dusty Rhodes re-defined what it was to be a world championship-caliber pro wrestler. He looked more like the plumber that his father was than a pro wrestler. But he used his very average physique to his advantage, identifying with the common man and setting the world ablaze with impassioned interviews.

Rhodes' jolly build misled many individuals in regard to his conditioning. But he routinely wrestled physically demanding classics against Ric Flair.

After winning various heavyweight championships on the NWA circuit, Rhodes took his act to the WWE, where he was still able to get over despite wearing bright yellow polka dots.

Name a pro wrestling Hall of Fame and Rhodes is probably in it. To this mound of wrestling royalty, life is but a dream.

28. Terry Funk

From Thinktankbob.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 7 (28th overall)

Terry Funk will go down as one of the forefathers of hardcore wrestling, but also as a wrestling stalwart. Currently in six prestigious Halls of Fame (and Dave Meltzer's), Terry Funk's career longevity and dedication to pleasing a crowd are what made him famous.

A three-time world champion, and holder of over 25 championships, Funk found success in just about every promotion he set foot in, whether it be ECW, WCW, WWE or NWA.

29. Mil Mascaras

From Rockomandemon.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 8 (29th overall)

Mil Mascaras was a trailblazer for lucha libre wrestling as it has come to be known today. He was lucha libre's high-flying version of Hulk Hogan. The over-sized luchador gained immense popularity with high-profile heavyweight feuds opposite Ernie Ladd, Superstar Billy Graham and The Destroyer.

31. Ricky Steamboat

From Nuahlie.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 8 (31st overall)

Some remember him from his timeless classic against Randy Savage at WrestleMania III. Others know him from his pivotal feud with Ric Flair, where the two waged war in WCW. All should have positive memories about him.

Ricky Steamboat infused high-flying with technical wrestling and had the panache to make the most basic wrestling moves look better than some finishers.

Of course this man of over 20 championships was known as The Dragon. His intensity couldn't be just that, it had to be comparable to something fervent, bright and mystical.

32. The Great Muta

From Kid-liger.deviantart.com/#

Seed: No. 8 (32nd overall)

One has to be pretty darn good to live up to such a promising name, but The Great Muta was better than just good.

With immense success in the NWA and across Japan, where he won heavyweight championships in both New Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling, The Great Muta is the gold standard in Japanese wrestling.

Great Muta is known as one of the innovators of the Asian mist being spit into the face of unsuspecting opponents. The gimmick is still used throughout many promotions to this day.

34. Eddie Guerrero

From Ziznine69.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 9 (34th overall)

Eddie Guerrero mixed an infectious charisma with a high-flying, technical workrate. Guerrero's brand of personality was few and far between among wrestlers with similar skill sets who relied on stunts to get them over.

Guerrero's ability to instantly connect with legions of fans defined him. Once a top cruiserweight in WCW, Guerrero furthered his career in the WWE, where he became a WWE champion.

35. Curt Hennig

From Mlboa.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 9 (35th overall)

Curt Hennig shined in the AWA as one of their most talented workers and was a one-time world champion. A guy with the uncanny ability to make anybody look good in the ring, Curt Hennig was a tactician and a pro's pro.

As the territories began to dry up, Hennig took his craft up north to the WWE/F, where he became Mr. Perfect.

Although devoid of any world titles during his time there, Mr. Perfect became one of the company's premier heels. Hennig is considered one of the WWE's greatest Intercontinental champions in an era when that championship was still prestigious.

38. Verne Gagne

From Vaughan Bass

Seed: No. 10 (38th overall)

The father of the American Wrestling Association that housed talents such as Curt Hennig, Nick Bockwinkel and Ravishing Rick Rude, Verne Gagne is the 16-time world champion casual fans don't know about.

Gagne is a respected wrestling mind whose in-ring career and post-wrestling accolades cannot be overstated. He wrestled. He won (a lot). He booked.

Any prestige associated with the famed AWA was more than likely attributable to Verne Gagne.

40. The Big Show

From Turnbuckles.tumblr.com

Seed: No. 10 (40th overall)

Is he the hardest-working giant of all time? The most athletic? Has there ever been any big man asked to do more? Is he a beneficiary of different times? Or a victim of ancient history and the ghosts of Andre the Giant? Is he the greatest giant of all time?

41. The Iron Sheik

From Jckinney.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 11 (41st overall)

The Iron Sheik was a prototypical heel. He was a heel, so he didn't like very many people. He was a foreigner wrestling in Madison Square Garden on many occasions, so he really didn't like very many people. And he basically just didn't like very many people.

Sheik was made famous by being the man who finally unseated Bob Backlund's near-four-year run as WWF champion. That, and he could do this.

42. Bill Goldberg

From Challenger2008.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 11 (42nd overall)

He was the last of the mega stars WCW had to offer, and in many ways, the only megastar they created during the Monday Night Wars. Carrying WCW on his back for much of the latter stages of those wars, Goldberg was booked to win his first 173 matches.

Simple, yet effective, Bill Goldberg was to WCW what The Ultimate Warrior should have been to the WWE. But like the Warrior, his meteoric rise would eventually see a stiff ceiling.

44. Rick Rude

Ravishing Rick Rude was God's gift to heels. Rude will always be remembered for a not-so-subtle sexually charged gimmick, where he portrayed a womanizing agitator.

But the master villain cut his teeth in territories across Florida and Texas, including WCCW, where he captured the NWA American Heavyweight Championship.

Rude was rough around the edges to some degree with a hard-hitting, physical workrate. Rude still showed off a particular amount of agility and finesse that was fitting of a historically impressive physique.

51. Daniel Bryan

From Drspilkus.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 13 (51st overall)

A dangerous No. 13 seed if there ever was one, Daniel Bryan's Internet following should bolster his chances of making a Cinderella run.

Bryan may have only won one world championship in the WWE, but his independent wrestling career may have been the best ever, with the former American Dragon taking his unique submission wrestling skill set worldwide.

55. Booker T

From Wwefans.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 14 (55th overall)

Booker T broke through many glass ceilings from his days in WCW, where he won the Atlanta-based company's world championship five times, to the WWE where he added to his legacy by winning the World Heavyweight Championship.

There may be very little argument that Booker T is the greatest, or at least the most decorated, African-American wrestler of all time.

But with no WWE Championships to his name, he also serves as a reminder of how far many African-American wrestlers still have to go.

58. Frank Gotch

From Rob Schamberger

Seed: No. 15 (58th overall)

Remember that discussion about forefathers of pro wrestling? Frank Gotch is one of them, too. His contribution to getting professional wrestling over in mainstream society is as important as anybody's.

Gotch was a catch wrestler and a shoot fighter whose world championship reign of the 1900s lasted nearly five years.

60. Jeff Hardy

From Tillman54.deviantart.com/

Seed: No. 15 (60th overall)

Jeff Hardy's quiet charisma produced a brand of popularity rarely seen in the WWE. After paying his dues as an enhancement talent, and through a great tag team run alongside brother Matt, Hardy caught fire in 2008.

62. The Ultimate Warrior

Given how hot The Ultimate Warrior was once upon a blue moon, some may be outraged by his low seeding.

But the lack of longevity, and presence of Hulk Hogan always making him 1-A at best, put a damper on his greatness tag.

The Ultimate Warrior saw limited success, simultaneously holding both the Intercontinental and WWE Championship, which was a first. It all came crashing down after multiple firings, and The Ultimate Warrior never got it back.

64. The Fabulous Moolah

From WWE.com

Seed: No. 16 (64th overall)

Pro wrestling is undoubtedly a boys' club. But when somebody holds a single championship for 10 years as The Fabulous Moolah did, there's room at the big boys' table for them whether they be a man, woman or child.